Monday, August 19, 2013

Histamine is a chemical which occurs naturally in certain foods, and in our own bodies. When bacteria begin to break down proteins, they create amines as a natural byproduct of this process including histamines and tyramines. Histamine is also one of the chemicals that is released in the body as part of an allergic reaction, causing the typical itching, sneezing, wheezing and swelling allergy symptoms.

We all have an enzyme in our digestive system called (diamine oxidase or DAO) which breaks down any histamine that we absorb from a histamine-containing food. When the majority of people eat a food which contains histamine it does not affect them. However, some people have a low level of DAO as a result from a multitude of factors including but not limited to Hypothyroidism, Leaky Gut Syndrome, Intestinal Dysbiosis, and other illness that are directly correlated to damage in the intestines. SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) can also be a factor in a person with histamine intolerance because this displaced bacteria causes fermentation in the small intestines which also produces extra histamine. When a person with histamine intolerance eats too many histamine-rich foods, or foods high in preservatives such as monosodium glutamate (MSG) they may suffer ‘allergy-like’ symptoms such as headaches, rashes, itching, diarrhoea, and vomiting or abdominal pain. Some other symptoms can be more unconventional and more subtle. Symptoms of histadelia or histamine intolerance include:

Pruritus (itching especially of the skin, eyes, ears, and nose)

Urticaria (hives) (sometimes diagnosed as “idiopathic urticaria”)

Tissue swelling (angioedema) especially of facial and oral tissues and sometimes the throat, the latter causing the feeling of “throat tightening”

Hypotension (drop in blood pressure)

Tachycardia (increased pulse rate, “heart racing”)

Symptoms resembling an anxiety or panic attack

Chest pain

Nasal congestion and runny nose

Conjunctivitis (irritated, watery, reddened eyes)

Some types of headaches that differ from those of migraine

Fatigue, confusion, irritability

Dizziness

Very occasionally loss of consciousness usually lasting for only one or two seconds

Histamine intolerance is unlike other food allergies or sensitivities in that the response is cumulative, not immediate. Think of it like a bucket of water. When the bucket is very full (high amounts of histamine in the diet), even a drop of additional water will cause the cup to overflow (symptoms activated). But when the bucket is less full, it would take more water (histamine) to cause a response. This makes histamine intolerance very difficult to pinpoint.

Foods that are particularly high in histamine and other vasoactive amines include:

Champagne, wine, beer, cider and other fermented drinks and spirits

Sauerkraut and other pickled foods

Vinegar and foods containing it such as dressings, pickles, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard

To make matters even more confusing, typically allergy tests measuring IgE levels, such as skin prick testing and specific IgE blood tests for these foods will be negative. This is because reactions to histamine are not caused by a true immune IgE food allergy response.

Diagnosis of histamine intolerance is usually made by a person trialling a low-histamine diet like the Failsafe diet for about 6 weeks and seeing if their symptoms improve. Blood tests that claim to be helpful in measuring levels of histamine or the level of DAO are usually not reliable. There are a few DAO supplements out there on the market, but I have not had any notable success with them.

Treatment consists of avoiding histamine-rich foods but only to the level that is required by an individual. The amount of histamine rich foods tolerated will vary from person to person, so its important to keep a food diary and note foods and portion sizes.

It's also important to note that many who are histamine intolerant have other intolerances as well such as salicylates or gluten. This all can be very confusing, which is why a good elimination diet is the best place to start.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

So today marks a huge milestone in my journey to health. Last week I joined a gym, and today I had my first workout with my personal trainer. Now for those of you that know my story, you know that the nightmare actually began in the gym during a high intensity spin class two years ago. Since the Big Meltdown, I have not stepped foot in a gym until last week when I took the courageous step to join one again.

Over the past two years I've done my best to stay active and in the best shape possible. Even if it was only a walk around the back yard, or the most basic of stretching I was determined to not let my illness completely take me down. I made it a habit to practice gentle yoga a few times a week (even if it was just seated stretching), and lightly bounce on my rebounder daily (sometimes for only 2 minutes!). I also did the Sit and Be Fit workouts as well, which I highly recommend.

Today was different though. Today I was leaving the safety of my home and going to workout in a public place with plenty of smells and a more intense workout than I've done in a very long time- and most importantly- a place that equalled big time trauma in my brain.

As I dusted off my workout shoes I'll admit I was nervous. All sorts of thoughts and "What If's" ran through my head. "What if I can't do it?" "What if I pass out?" "What if I have a bad reaction to the smells?" "What if I panic?" "What if I'm not ready for this?" All these thoughts ran through my mind as I got ready, got in my car, and got even stronger as I pulled into the parking lot. I almost punked out. I almost let myself turn around and go back home. But thanks to prayer, thought questioning, a couple quick rounds of FasterEFT, and encouraging words from my Dearest I put aside my fear and faced it head on.

When I stepped into the gym I was immediately accosted by the aroma of the cleaning spray that they use to wipe down the machines. I ignored the tingling sensation in my ears and focused on greeting my new trainer, Arthur. As we talked, I felt more and more comfortable. He asked about my medical condition and I gave him the Cliff's notes version. By the time I was finished, Arthur was looking at me in both amazement and disbelief- the typical reaction that I get from those who hear about it for the first time!

He then took my height, weight, and BMI. He said that my weight and BMI were actually perfect for my height and age. And here I was seeing myself looking like a concentration camp survivor. Another prime example of how our perceptions of ourselves can be so incredibly twisted! So that was an unexpected bonus, and a great confidence booster!

We started off with some easy walking on the treadmill for a 10 minute warm up, followed by some basic stretching. There were a few moments I started to get "jelly legs" but I kept silently talking to myself and persisted. We then moved on to the weight machines. We did arms and shoulders first, lighter weight and higher reps. I kept myself moving slow and steady, focusing on each muscle as it worked. Arthur was very encouraging- talking to me the whole time, praising my progress, and steadying me when I got a little wobbly. He was incredibly patient!

After arms we moved onto legs and then abs. After abs a bit more stretching, and before I knew it the session was over. "That's it?" I asked Arthur. "What do you mean that's it? You've been working out for an hour straight!" I couldn't believe that I had already done an hour and wanted to do more! "That's enough for today" said Arthur. "Baby steps...you're just getting back into it." He then went on to compliment my perseverance and said that he couldn't believe what good shape I was in after all that I've been through. He informed me that his sister has Fibromyalgia and that he was going to tell her all about me. Hopefully my story would inspire her to work toward getting off medication and on the track to real healing. Be a blessing to others....another unexpected bonus for the day!

Watch out Agnes! I'm catching up to you!

As I made my way home, I felt the tears well up in my eyes. I've cried so many tears over the past two years, but these were tears of joy and not of sadness. I thought of myself 6 months ago...a time that the idea of joining a gym and doing a real full hour workout seemed like a distant dream. A time that driving my car was an epic undertaking, and even simple housework was enough to exhaust me. I felt like I had just climbed and conquered a mountain. Not even just by finishing the workout, but by facing my fear head on. By not letting my anxiety get the best of me, and by not letting trauma win. It feels so good to experience the positive results of hard work!

I pulled into the driveway of my house and put my car in park. I sat there for a minute, relishing the moment and focusing on the feeling so that I can revisit it later on when needed. I wrapped my arms around myself and gave Me a big hug. "You've come a long way, baby. A long way..."

Friday, July 26, 2013

More and more people these days are discovering that they are salicylate intolerant. Salicylate intolerance is actually becoming almost as prevelent as gluten intolerance. In my own personal healing journey, finding this important piece to the puzzle was one of the key factors in making great strides toward regaining my health once again. You see, having salicylate sensitivity pretty much crushes all traditional ideas of "healthy eating". When we think "healthy eating" we think plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits, moderate protein, and whole grains (in the case of Paleo no grains). Because of the media and many popular health gurus out there, many have been led to believe that a vegetarian or vegan diet is the healthiest way to eat. Unfortunately if you are sensitive to salicylates, these diets can be absolute poison and totally counterproductive to healing.

Now before and vegans, veggies, or Paleos attack me, I'm going to remind you that I followed all three of these diets full throttle for a good portion of my life. I became a vegetarian back in 2004 and then a vegan in 2005. I followed a strict vegan diet for almost 5 years on the 80-10-10 principle consisting of 80% raw foods. When I became ill in 2011, I switched to a Paleo diet and continued to follow that until May of 2013 when out of desperation I switched to Failsafe.

I'm not going to get into the whole vegan/veggie thing in this post. I will save that one for another day :). What I will say is that for the longest time I could not understand why I kept feeling worse and worse as time went on with these supposedly pure and healthy diets. Before I became severely ill I ate organic at least 70% of the time, but as the years progressed on a vegan diet I began to experience changes in my energy levels, moods, and hormones. After being struck down by illness, I devoted myself to eating 100% organic and fresh at all times. Although I was now eating local grass-fed meats and had cut down fruit drastically because of the sugar, I tripled my daily intake of vegetables. After being diagnosed with adrenal fatigue, I was instructed by a "practitioner" to cut out all carbs in the form of grains and starchy veggies and to follow a strict Paleo diet. It seemed that the "healthier" I ate, the sicker I became.

Now I'm not saying that vegetables and fruits are bad. I love fruits and vegetables! I was very content to eat them all day long every day, but unfortunately my body felt differently about it. Fruits and vegetables are, in general very healthy....unless you're sensitive to salicylates.

So you might be asking, what are salicylates?

Salicylates are chemicals that occur naturally in many plants, including many fruits vegetables, and herbs. Salicylates in plants act as a natural immune hormone and preservative, protecting the plants against diseases, insects, fungi, and harmful bacteria. Salicylates are also created synthetically and can be found in many medicines, perfumes and preservatives.

Salicylates are found virtually everywhere, so if you're salicylate sensitive this can pose big problems. Its (fairly) easy to avoid exposure by controlling your diet, but sals can also travel into your body trans-dermally (through your pores) and through your nose via inhalation of fumes and scents.

Even though they can be artificially produced, salicylates are the naturally occurring defense system of plants. You see contrary to popular belief, plants really don't want to be eaten. Furthermore, there are studies that correlate increased salicylate production by plants in response to our modern day toxic environment. Plants are evolving to protect themselves against the high amounts of industrial toxins in our soil, and the new super bugs resulting from overuse of pesticides and antibiotics. So we must understand that while our grandparents enjoyed a plethora of fresh fruits and vegetables with no issues, we are dealing with a new era of food and environment.

What it means to be salicylate intolerant

In high enough doses salicylates are harmful to everyone, but most people can handle average amounts of salicylate in food, products and medications without experiencing any adverse affects . But, there are many out there for which even a small amount of salicylates causes problems. Both adults and children may develop symptoms and health problems from dose-related salicylates. This is called ‘Salicylate Sensitivity’ or ‘Salicylate Intolerance’ and is different than an allergy. People with salicylate intolerance are unable to handle more than a certain amount of salicylates at a time. The tolerated amount and items are different from person to person. For example, one person may be able to handle a serving of carrots (moderate sals) but not a serving of coconut (very high sals). Some people can handle the sals in personal care products such as lotion or toothpaste, but not in food. Every Body is truly different, so finding your own personal threshold is very important.

Salicylates also have a cumulative effect in the body and build up over time, this means that a salicylate sensitive person may be able to tolerate a small amount of salicylates but will experience symptoms after excessive exposure over time. Also note that if you've got an aspirin allergy, hands down you're intolerant to salicylates.

Salicylate Intolerance Symptoms

Please note that I AM NOT A DOCTOR, and the info I am providing is purely info and not meant to diagnose any diseases or conditions. Many of the symptoms below overlap with other conditions, so if you're unsure, it's best to consult with your healthcare provider.

The symptoms of salicylate intolerance are truly head spinning and can be downright confusing! I personally experience many of these symptoms upon intake of too many sals, and it took me a long time (and alot of pain and suffering!) to figure out that sals were causing problems.

Physical Symptoms:

Itchy skin, hives or Rashes

Stomach pain/upset stomach

Asthma

Headaches

Swelling of hands and feet

Breathing difficulties

Bed Wetting

Mouth Ulcers or raw hot red rash around mouth

Persistent cough

Frequent need to urinate/urgency to pass water

Wheezing

Changes in skin color/skin discoloration

Swelling of eyelids, face and lips

Fatigue

Sore, itchy, puffy or burning eyes

Watering eyes

Anaphylaxis (this is very rare, but deadly)

Sinusitis

Diarrhea

Nausea

Chronic sweating or no sweating

Aching Muscles and joints

Congestion

Nasal polyps

Chest pains

Ringing in the ears

Low platelet count

Acne

Addictions

Arthritis

Athlete’s foot

Bad Breath

Blackouts

Bloating

Blood sugar problems

Blurred vision

Breast pain

Catarrh

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Coated tongue

Colitis

Constant Hunger

Constipation

Crawling sensation on skin

Difficulty in Swallowing

Dizziness

Eczema

Excessive thirst

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Itching

Itchy and red ears

Joint Pain, stiffness and swelling

Lethargy

Menstrual problems

Metallic taste

Migraine

Cramps

Muscle tremors

Muscle weakness

Nasal Congestion

Palpitations

Poor balance

Post-nasal drip

Pre-menstrual problems

Racing pulse

Recurring ear infections

Restless legs syndrome

Sensitivity to light and noise

Feeling drained

Flushes

Food cravings

Gall bladder problems

Gritty feeling in eyes

Heavy body odor

High/low blood pressure

Indigestion – recurring

Insomnia

Sleep disturbances

Sore tongue

Stiff neck

Styes

Temperature fluctuation

Thrust

Tics

Tinnitus

Urticaria

Vertigo

Weight problems

Mental and Behavior Symptoms:

Hyperactivity

Memory loss

Poor concentration

Cognitive and perceptual disorders

Depression

ADD

Irritability

Central Nervous system depression

Accident prone

Anxiety

Anger for no apparent reason

Behavioral problems

Blankness

Brain fogging

Changes in handwriting

Clumsiness

Confusion

Delusions

Detached or unreal feeling

Difficulty waking up

Disorientation

Dyslexia

Feeling of dissociation

Fidgetting

Hallucinations

Hearing without comprehension

Inability to think clearly

Indifference

Math and spelling errors

Mental exhaustion

Mood swings

Panic attacks

Phobias

Poor self image

Poor memory

Reading problems

Restlessness

Slow processing information

Slurred speech

Stammering

Suicidal feelings

Tenseness

Uncontrollable rage

Weepiness

Withdrawn

How to determine if you're salicylate intolerant

The best way to find out if you're intolerant to salicylates is by following an elimination plan like the Failsafe Diet. You'll also need to avoid saliciylates in your personal care products and medications (please do not stop taking your medications unless you consult with your doctor first!). Although it's very difficult to avoid environmental salicylates, you can drastically minimize your exposure by switching to natural, free and clear cleaning products and avoiding anything scented or perfumed.

I would recommend following a strict elimination plan for at least 6 weeks. This will give your body time to eliminate its previously stored salicylates. After a minimum of 6 weeks (some people may need more time), you can begin challenging yourself with small amounts of sals and monitoring your reactions. Be careful when reintroducing salicylates into your system after an elimination period. If you are not careful,severe reactions can occur. If you reduce the level of salicylates in your system and then reintroduce too many salicylates at once (as in taking an aspirin, which is packed with salicylate) anaphylactic shock can result, so start very slow! It's very important to keep a journal/food diary during this time. This way you can keep track of foods and exposures and resulting reactions so that you can better plan your regime according to your own personal threshold.

Below are charts (thanks to salicylatesensitivity.com) which contain the general amounts of salicylates in foods and products. Salicylate content may vary in foods according to region and species, so please use this as a GENERAL REFERENCE only. Always use caution when attempting any elimination/challenge diet.

FRUITS

Negligible

Low

Moderate

High

Very High

Banana

Canned Pear****

Lime

Pear (ripe and peeled)

Apple – golden delicious

Nashi Pears

Papaya

Paw Paw

Tamarillo

Apple – red delicious

Canned or dried Fig

Canned pear****

Custard apple

Lemon

Loquat

Mango

Passion fruit

Pear (w/ peel)

Persimmon

Pomegranate

Rhubarb

Apple – all other varieties

Canned Morello cherries

Cantaloupe

Grapefruit

Kiwi fruit

Lychee

Mandarin

Melons

Mulberry

Nectarine

Peach

Sugar banana

Watermelon

All dried Fruits

Apricot

Avocado

Blackberry

Blackcurrant

Blueberry

Boysenberry

Cherries – all other kinds

Cranberry

Currant

Date

Grape

Guava

Loganberry

Orange

Pineapple

Plum

Prune

Raisin

Raspberry

Redcurrant

Rock melon

Strawberry

Sultana

Tangelo

Tangerine

Youngberry

**** Canned Pear has negligible amounts of salicylate if it is in sugar syrup, but if it is in natural juices/syrups, it has a moderate amount of salicylate as these often contain some peel, which contains salicylates

VEGETABLES

Negligible

Low

Moderate

High

Very High

Bamboo Shoots

Beans (dried – not borlotti)

Cabbage (green or white)

Celery

Green Split peas

Lentils (brown)

Lentils (red)

Lettuce (iceberg)

Peas (dried)

Potato (old/white and peeled)

Swede

Bean Sprouts

Borlotti beans

Brussels sprouts

Cabbage – red

Cauliflower

Chickpeas

Chives

Choko

Fresh Asparagus

Green Beans

Green Peas

Leek

Mung bean sprouts

Onion

Potato (white with peel)

Shallots

Yellow split peas

Asparagus – tinned

Aubergine – peeled

Beetroot

Black Olives

Canned Asparagus

Carrot

Fresh Tomato

Frozen Spinach

Lettuce (other than iceberg)

Marrow

Mushrooms

Parsnips

Potato (new and red Pontiac)

Pumpkin

Snow Peas

Sprout

Sweet corn

Turnip

Alfalfa sprouts

Artichoke

Aubergine with peel

Broad bean

Broccoli

Canned black olive

Cucumber

Cucumber

Eggplant

Fresh Spinach

Okra

Radish

Sweet Potato

Water chestnut

Watercress

Zucchini

Canned Green Olives

Capsicum

Champignon

Chicory

Chili peppers

Courgette

Endive

Gherkin

Hot pepper

Peppers

Radish

Tomato

Tomato Products

Water Chestnut

NUTS & SEEDS

Negligible

Low

Moderate

High

Very High

Poppy seed

Cashews

Hazelnuts

Pecan

Sunflower seeds

Desiccated coconut

Peanut Butter

Pumpkin seeds

Sesame seeds

Walnuts

Brazil nuts

Macadamia nuts

Pine nuts

Pistachio

Almond

Peanuts with skins on

Water chestnut

SWEETS

Negligible

Low

Moderate

High

Very High

Carob

Cocoa

Homemade caramel****

Maple Syrup

White Sugar

Caramel****

Golden Syrup

Malt Extract

Molasses

Raw Sugar

Chewing gum

Fruit flavors

Honey

Honey flavors

Jam (except pear, preferably homemade)

Liquorices

Mint flavored sweets

Peppermints

**** Caramel can be made from just sugar and water or sugar and milk – both are salicylate free and therefore caramel is generally alright. However, store bought caramel can have a variety of additives and added flavorings that do contain salicylate – so be careful when buying/eating caramel and be sure to read the ingredients

SEASONINGS, CONDIMENTS, SAUCES & TOPPINGS

Negligible

Low

Moderate

High

Very High

Golden Syrup

Malt Vinegar

Maple Syrup (pure)

Salt

Apple Butter (only if homemade from acceptable varieties of apples)

Chives

Fennel – dried

Garlic

Parsley (except Chinese parsley also known as coriander)

Saffron

Shallots

Soy Sauce (if free of spices)

Fresh Coriander Leaves (also known as Chinese parsley)

Horseradish

Mayonnaise

All Spice

Bay leaf

Caraway

Cardamom

Cinnamon

Cloves

Coriander

Ginger

Mixed herbs

Mustard

Pimiento

Aniseed

Basil

Black pepper

Cayenne

Celery powder

Chili flakes

Chili Powder

Cider Vinegar

Commercial Gravies & Sauces

Cumin

Curry

Dill

Fenugreek

Fish, meat, and tomato pastes

Garam masala

Ginger

Honey

Jam/Jelly (all commercial varieties – you can make your own from acceptable ingredients)

Liquorices

Mace

Marmite

Mint

Mustard

Nutmeg

Oregano

Paprika

Peppermint

Rosemary

Sage

Tabasco

Tarragon

Thyme

Turmeric

Vegemite and other Yeast Extracts****

White pepper

White Vinegar

Wine Vinegar

Worcester Sauce

**** Yeast extracts are high but they are different from the yeast used in baking. Baking Yeast is generally ok.

FATS & OILS

Negligible

Low

Moderate

High

Very High

Butter*****

Canola Oil

Margarine****

Safflower Oil

Soy Oil

Sunflower Oil

Ghee

Almond Oil

Corn Oil

Peanut Oil

Copha

Sesame oil

Walnut Oil

Coconut Oil

Olive Oil

**** Margarine- Only if it’s made from acceptable oils. Butter- be careful of butter that is made from sweet cream. They add sugar to this, which can contain high amounts of sals depending on the type of sugar used.

**** Most meat, fish and poultry are salicylate free, but you should avoid meats that have been processed or seasoned as they often contain salicylates

DAIRY & SOY PRODUCTS

Negligible

Low

Moderate

High

Very High

Butter

Cream

Cheese (not blue vein)

Milk

Yoghurt (natural only)

Ice Cream ****

Rice Milk

Goat Milk

Soy Milk ****

Tofu

Blue vein Cheese

**** Be sure the read the label carefully on these things, they are ok only if they do not have any additives (gums, carageenan) or added flavorings. With ice cream it can be very difficult to find brands that make pure and plan ice cream without all the additives (though there are a few out there), I recommend just making your own Failsafe version.

***Juices of acceptable fruits and vegetables are ok. If you want to have juice with acceptable fruits and vegetables, I would suggest juicing them fresh at home. Be careful of decaffeinated coffee. Many producers decaffeinate their beans using chemicals that many sensitive people react to. It's best to choose a brand that is organic and decaffeinated using the swiss water process.

ALCOHOL

Negligible

Low

Moderate

High

Very High

Gin

Whiskey

Vodka

Cider

Beer

Sherry

Brandy

Liquor

Port

Wine

Rum

Many of the foods listed on these charts I would not condone as part of a healthy healing regime (like alcohol!), but I've listed them anyway as I understand that some of you who are reading this may still be consuming them. Be sure to check out my posts on safe brands, food handling/choosing, Failsafe recipes, and safe sources (I've done my homework!!). As always, I cannot stress enough that foods should always be organic, fresh or frozen, grass fed and free range (in the case of animal products) and from local organic farms whenever possible.

Products and Medications

Navigating your way through personal care products and medications can be very tricky when you're trying to avoid salicylates. Sals can lurk in all kinds of every day products, under many different names. This is a list of common products that contain sals, as well as the names that sals masquerade under. My best advice to you- become an avid label reader!! At first it may be difficult to remember what ingredients to avoid, but trust me, after a while you'll become a pro :)

Products that often contain Salicylates:

Acne products

Air fresheners

Alka Seltzer

Breath savers

Bubble baths

Cleaning products

Cosmetics

Detergents

Essential oils

Fabric conditioners

Fragrances and perfumes

Gums

Hair sprays, gels and mouses

Herbal remedies

Lipsticks and Lip glosses

Lotions

Lozenges

Medications

Mouthwash

Muscle pain creams

Pain relievers

Pepto-Bismol

Razors with aloe strips adjacent to the cutting edge

Shampoos and Conditioners

Shaving cream

Skin cleansers or exfoliants

Soaps

Sunscreens and tanning lotions

Supplements derived from rose hips or bioflavoniods

Toothpaste

Topical creams

Wart or callus removers

Terms/Ingredients to Avoid:

Acetylsalicylic acid

Aloe Vera

Any coal tar derived dye

Artificial flavorings

Artificial food colorings

Aspirin

Azo dyes

Benzoates (preservatives)

Benzyl salicylate

Beta-hydroxy acid

BHA

BHT

Choline salicylate

Disalcid

Ethyl salicylate

Eucalyptus Oils

Isoamyl salicylate

Magnesium salicylate

Magnesium Sterate

Menthol

Methyl Salicylate

Mint

Nitrates/Nitrites

Octylsalicylate

Oil of Wintergreen

Peppermint

Phenylethyl salicylate

Red Dye (#40)

Salicylaldehyde

Salicylamide

Salicylate

Salicylic acid

Salsalate

Sodium Salicylate

Spearmint

Yellow Dyes (#5 & #6)

Brand Names of Common Drugs containing Salicylate

This list was compiled by the Mayo Clinic. It is not a complete list of all drugs containing salicylate, but it is a good start. If you are taking a medication and you are not sure if it contains salicylate or not check with your pharmacist or doctor. Never start the elimination diet with out checking all medications and first and consulting a professional. Never start taking a medication with salicylate in it directly after the elimination diet and shock can occur from introducing too much salicylate into your body at once. And most importantly, never stop a prescribed medication without checking with your doctor first.

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About Me

Hmmm where do I start? Let's see....my friends all affectionately refer to me as "Bubble Girl"! I am a fun loving chick, born in the North and raised in the South by the grace of God :)
I've pretty much been blacklisted by every doctor and allergist in South Florida LOL! When I walk in they cringe! They refer to me as the "green zebra". Apparently in medical school they label patients with weird mystery illnesses as "zebras". You see plenty of horses but not too many zebras. And I am a green one..imagine that! The unicorn of allergic patients! Some say mast cell disease, others say MCS, others say parasites/leaky gut, and others say limbic system imbalance, but who knows. Hell, it could be all of the above as far as I'm concerned!
Anyway, I've sadly gotten used to being Bubble Girl and I now try to find the humor in it all as often as I can. I haven't given up on finding a cure and one day being "normal" again (well normal for me anyway!). I love making new friends, so feel free to drop me a line. Even if you just want to rant and rave about how much it sucks to be sick. I'm always up for a round of bitching and moaning :)